Sukhi Shetty Krishnan is blessed to be born into a family of dancers. Her late father, Master Gopal Shetty was the President of the Temple of Fine Arts Kuala Lumpur.

Under the inspiration of her spiritual teacher, guide and mentor Swami Shantanand, she has been given the role of one of the International Directors of the Temple of Fine Arts and the Vice Chancellor of Saraswathi Maha Vidhyalaya – a holistic learning university.

A dancer, choreographer and teacher, Sukhi Shetty Krishnan learned aspects of Indian dance under the tutelage of her father, Gopal Shetty and has also been blessed to be under the guidance of leading dance exponents including Vatsala Shivadas, Kumari Suryakala, Pandit Birju Maharaj, Saswati Sen and Sanjukta

Panigrahi. She spent her formative years by her fathers side imbibing his masterly approach to creative choreography and teaching style. She was awarded the prestigious ” Natya Acharya” in 2003 by Swami Shantanand Saraswati.

Sukhi has had over 25 years experience in choreography and collaborations for more than 20 major dance productions of the TFA from 1985 to date and has performed as artiste and choreographer in Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, New York, Scotland, Italy, France and Cambodia. She is versatile in several forms of Indian classical dance including Bharata Natyam, Odissi, Kathak, Kathakali and Indian Folk dance. Sukhi has also studied Asian dance forms particularly traditional Malay and Chinese dance in Malaysia. While in Perth she was a student at WAAPA and gained experience in Ballet, Spanish and Contemporary dance.

Sukhi has been teaching classical Indian dance styles at the TFA Perth since 1989. She has trained and guided her students to their Arangetram Solo Debuts and many of these students have since gone on to become teachers themselves. She has also taken part in many community projects, collaborations and school workshops in Perth and is currently a lecturer in Bharata Natyam at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.

Sukhi Shetty Krishnan and her team of passionate and dedicated teachers continue to learn and see their role as facilitators, in bringing the grand vision of their guru to audiences and students in Australia and around the world.

Sarasa Krishnan is an Indian classical dancer, visual artist and author who has performed, exhibited and lectured in Europe, UK, USA, Australia and Asia. 

An exhibited visual artist, she has presented solos in dance/visual art performances in Paris, France, Florence Italy, United Kingdom and Singapore, under the auspices of private galleries, theatres and Festivals. Sarasa was awarded the prestigious "Natya Acharya" (Professor of Dance) in 2003 by His Holiness Swami Shantanand Saraswati, founder of The Temple of Fine Arts International.

In 2014, Sarasa published her first book entitled Bharata's Karanas that is based upon the 108 Karanas in Sage Bharata’s Natya Shastra. The book explores the intimate connection between philosophical enquiry and artistic endeavors, and their arguably parallel journey in unveiling the diversely complex and multifarious processes involved in perception, awareness and insight in cognizing experience.

In 2016, Sarasa was awarded her PHD at Murdoch University, Perth, that explored the role and function of the observer in a staged performance, with particular reference to the Indian aesthetic theory of Rasa, and its effect on what we mean by consciousness.

She is the Artistic Director and Vice-Preseident of Saraswati Mahavidhyalaya , and is currently working on her second book, based on her doctoral thesis.

Anuradha started her dance career at the age of 3 in Sri Lanka from Shrimati Subathra Sivadas and then continued at Coimbatore, India from Kumari Suryakala. Anu’s dance graduation was in 1987 from The Temple of Fine Arts, Coimbatore. With the blessings and guidance of her Guru and mentor, Swami Shantanand Saraswati, Anu is continuing to learn, perform and teach this divine art form.

She has been teaching dance since 1985 at The Temple of Fine Arts, Coimbatore. She then migrated to Perth, Australia in 1995 and continued teaching at The Temple of Fine Arts, Perth.

Over the past years Anu has helped about seven graduate students and has performed in most of the major productions of The Temple of Fine arts locally and internationally. She is continuing to improve her Bharata Natyam skills and also learning/performing Odissi. Her Kathak training started with Dipanjali Bedi in Perth and is currently under guidance of Pandit Birju Maharaj.

Anu’s goal is to help as many Bharata Natyam graduates as possible from The Temple of Fine Arts and to help motivate and fine-tune students innate skills to become creative dancers. Anu also would like to learn and improve her Nattuvangam skills.

Anu works as Applications Team Leader at The Department of Transport and has completed her PhD in Human Factors and Cultural Influences in Implementing Agile Philosophy and Agility in Global Software Development.

Physiotherapist working in the area of Intensive and long term Rehabilitation. She has been awarded and has had recognition for work as a physiotherapist and contribution to patient care and to the profession.

Mallika has been involved in the teaching, syllabus formation and coordination of the SMV/Annalakshmi Culinary Science since 2005. She has more than 20 years expertise in both Indian and Asian Vegetarian cuisine, cooking, catering and coordinating cooking demonstrations for Annalakshmi On the Swan, Perth.

Malika holds a Certificate III in Cookery and Certificate IV in Training and Assessment [TAE40410]

Goals for students

To encourage individuals to make healthy food choices that will improve personal health , family health and reduce their carbon footprint.

To understand  the foundation of traditional Indian and Asian vegetarian cuisine that will allow the student to create their own recipes.

To make vegetarian  cooking an exciting and essential part of daily diet.

To stimulate a love for different and challenging flavours.

To expose the students to  Ayurvedic principals for healthy eating and recognition of medicinal values of ingredients used. Make their  spices shelf –their  medicine cupboard.

Personal goals

To ensure that the Tradition of Asian Vegetarian Cuisine in general and Indian Vegetarian  Cuisine in particular , is not lost to the future generations.

To  prevent  loss of traditional knowledge of medicinal use of vegetables, spices and herbs [Neutraceuticals].

To make this knowledge relevant to the current generation and thereby preserve the knowledge for future generations.

To make Asian Vegetarian Cuisine an essential pathway or an alternative pathway in a Culinary Science Degree.

To develop an Asian Vegetarian Cooking Course for the Disability Sector, merging my  physiotherapy skills and the needs of this sector to make Healthy food  and life style choices.

Aarthi Kamalesh made her foray into the world of Indian classical dance at the age of 4 at the Temple of Fine Arts (TFA), Kuala Lumpur. She began her Bharatanatyam training under the tutelage of Radha Shetty, then began learning Odissi under the able guidance of Geetha Shankaran-Lam.

Feeling the need for more of a challenge, Aarthi began Kathak training under the tutelage of Sukhi Shetty-Krishnan and Manju Hari. She has attended several Kathak workshops by Kathak maestro, Pandit Birju Maharaj since beginning her training in 2009.

Aarthi has participated in many TFA productions locally and internationally. She currently teaches Odissi, Bharatanatyam and Indian classical dance theory at SMV. Besides having training in dance, she has also been trained in the Carnatic style of music; vocally by Sivamani Selliah and the violin in the Carnatic style by Kanagamani Vijayendra.

Aarthi is currently a full- time practicing dentist in Perth. When not dancing, teaching or practising dentistry, Aarthi enjoys immersing herself in the world of literature.

Ganesh Arulampalam graduated in Bharata Natyam from the Temple of Fine Arts Kuala Lumpur in 1990, receiving the award Nrityanjali. He has also learnt and performed Odissi and numerous folk and semi-classical dances. He started dancing when the Temple of Fine Arts Kuala Lumpur opened in 1981 and has participated in most of TFA’s performances from 1981 till he retired from active performing in 2004.

Ganesh began teaching dance theory at TFA Kuala Lumpur in 1997 and has continued teaching theory at TFA Perth since he moved to Perth in 1999. He has also been involved in training students in drama as required for productions.

Ganesh is an engineer by profession with a PhD in Artificial Intelligence, and works as a consultant at Sankhya Consultants as well as a sessional lecturer at ECU.

Besides teaching, Ganesh has kept himself involved in the arts by applying his artistic, technical and professional skills in the arts arena, namely as Master of Ceremony and/or stage manager for TFA Perth’s productions as well as event manager for the Swan Festival of Lights.

Manju began her journey in dancing from the tender age of five at the Temple of Fine Arts in the form of Bharata Natyam under the tutelage of Vatsala Sivadas. She then ventured into Odissi at the age of 15 under the guidance of Geetha Shankaran Lam.

She obtained her initial training in Kathak under Umesh Shetty at the age of 16 and continued her training in Perth with Sukhi Krishnan & Sarasa Krishnan. She is currently under the guidance of Kathak Guru Pandit Birju Maharaj. Manju also started learning contemporary dance at the age of 18 under Umesh Shetty.

Manju performed her dance debut in Bharata Natyam in 1997, proffering her the title ‘Nrityanjali’. She performed her Odissi debut in 2004, marking her graduation in the style of Odissi. Manju also graduated from Curtin University with a BSc (Mathematics) in 2003.

Manju has performed extensively in numerous shows and productions produced by the Temple of Fine Arts. In 1998, she played the lead role in the production Shakuntala that was staged internationally.

Manju is currently a professional dancer based in Perth performing internationally. Apart from teaching Bharata Natyam, Odissi and Kathak at the Temple of Fine Arts, she also assists Sukhi Shetty-Krishnan with rehearsals for performances and productions.

Parvathi is a qualified Tamil Language Teacher who graduated from the National Institute of Education, Singapore in 1986. She has 25 years of teaching experience in both primary and secondary school. She was also the head of the Tamil Language Department in Singapore for the past 20 years. Her goal for her student is to inculcate a love and interest in the Tamil Language among our youngsters. To provide them with an opportunity to speak, write and read in Tamil and for them to converse in Tamil fluently.

Rajaswari commenced Bharata Natyam  at the age of 9 and is currently learning Odissi under Manjula Hari.

She began as a volunteer at the Temple of Fine Arts (TFA) and Annalakshmi in Kuala Lumpur. She helped with the  TFA’s HANSA magazine  and some of the TFA KL music and dance shows.  She was also the voice for Mahsuri – the Malay dance drama production by TFA.  Raji came to Perth  and joined the Temple of Fine Arts Perth in 1994, performing at various TFA local and international events. 

Raji’s interest in Balavihar teaching (4-6 year olds) began  while watching her daughter learn to dance back in 1997.  She has been teaching 4-6 year-olds since then.  She is very passionate about nurturing children in dance and music. Her  joy is  knowing the children are eager to attend classes.  Her philosophy for teaching children is ‘Be a child to teach a child’. Raj also teaches Carnatic vocal  for 4-6 year olds.

Raji also runs movement classes in the Bollywood genre for adults and  has been involved in the choreography and coordination of the recreation classes offered by TFA through workshops in The Swan Festival of Lights.

She has also been the Master of Ceremony for Swan Festival of Lights and other TFA productions

Rathi started learning the piano at 5 years of age in Malaysia and has been teaching piano for the last 7 years byspecial request by our patron, Swami Shantanand.

She would like all her students to learn and play as many pieces as possible to improve technique and develop faster. Rathi encourages the students to do exams because that involves setting a goal for themselves and then achieving it. It also makes them do regular practise. To put the students through the AMEB system because of the options available like the traditional syllabus, or doing the Piano for Leisure program which is not as demanding, are choices offered to students. As a musician, Rathi strongly feels whatever the child chooses to learn, the piano or some other instrument or dance, the joy of learning and expressing music and dance, is such a positive, creative and spiritual experience.

Reshme, an environmental scientist by profession, started Bharatanatyam classes in KL, Malaysia at the age of 6 under the guidance of Vasuki Sivanesan and Shankar Kandasamy. She moved to Perth in 2009 where she continued her interest in dance under the tutelage of Anuradha Sutharshan and Sukhi Shetty Krishnan.

Graduating from the Temple of Fine Arts (TFA) Kuala Lumpur and Saraswati Mahavidhyalaya (SMV) Perth in 2012 with the title Nrityanjali, she has since been conducting Bala Vihar classes helping nurture the interest in dance and music of 4-5 year old. She also helps other dance teachers with their Bharatanatyam classes. Reshme has also been learning Odissi since 2007 from Sumathi Chandra and Manjula Radha Krishnan; and Kathak since 2010 from Sukhi Shetty- Krishnan. She is also learning to play the flute from Sampagodu Vighnaraja of India/Malaysia.

She has taken part in many TFA productions such as Ramayana, Swan Lake , Viswa Vinayaka and many other TFA shows, including the Swan Festival of Lights.

Amongst her goals for her students is to be able to dance as if in meditation, with the complete surrender to the art form. She wants to nurture the love and respect for dance and music in every little one that comes to her bala vihar class, so that they graduate as beautiful dancers from the Saraswati Mahavidhyalaya Institute. Dance is a beautiful journey for a dancer to go through, and Reshme would like to share that magical experience with her students.

Shaki (Vimala) Hari is a registered nurse and a Practise Manager by profession. She commenced her Bharata Naatyam training at the age of nine and graduated in 1993 with the Swami Shantanand Kanage Sabha award at the Temple of Fine Arts (Singapore), under the tutelage of Srimati Kaamakshi Jayaraman.

She was also trained in Odissi by Srimati Geetha Ket at the Temple of Fine Arts (Kuala Lumpur). Shaki also studied Kathak initially from Srimati Deepanjali Bedi in Perth and is now currently under the guidance of Pandit Birju Maharaj.

Shaki has performed in several major productions for the Temple of FIne Arts in various countries, taking lead roles in Odissi Odyssey, Ramayana, Vishwa Vinaayaka and Midsummer Nights Dream and also performed in Kathak presentations choreographed by Pandit Birju Majaraj.

Shaki has been teaching Bharata Naatyam for over twenty years and also assists in teaching Kathak for the past 5 years. She endeavours to inculcate her passion for dance to her students and hopes to inspire them to achieve excellence; and most of all enjoyment of this ancient art form.

Vish Ramakonar started learning bharathanatyam in 1981 and performed her solo debut or ‘arangetram’ in 2003 under the tutelage of Sukhi Shetty-Krishnan and Sarasa Krishnan.

Vish learnt Odissi from Geetha Shankaran Lam and five years of Kathak training from Sarasa Krishnan, Sukhi Shetty Krishnan and Manjula Radha Krishnan whilst, currently under the guidance of Pandit Birju Maharaj. Vish has also had training in contemporary dance from Umesh Shetty of Kuala Lumpur.

Over the years, Vish has taken part and toured in numerous dance dramas and stage productions with the Temple of Fine Arts (TFA). She holds a doctorate in Engineering and works for SMV’s sister organisation Sankhya Consultants – an IT consultancy firm who’s main aim is to provide technology related consultancy and training. Vish’s passion for dance has seen her perform internationally with TFA.

Sivakumar was introduced to tabla at the age of 4 when his spiritual guru Swami Shantanand Saraswathi instructed him to learn. He then started learning tabla at the age of 6 under the guidance of Shri Nawaz Mirajkar. He also had the privilege of leaning under the late Ustad Mohammad Hanif Khan Mirajkar, in Pune.

He had his first stage performance at the age of 5. Sivakumar completed his Tabla arangetram at the Temple of Fine Arts in 2015 and was conferred the title 'Layanjali'. He is a 3 time winner of the National Arts Competition in Singapore. Sivakumar is adept on the Tabla, Phakawaj, Dholak, Cajon and side percussions, allowing him to collaborate on a multicultural level with different artists. Having performed for 16 years, he has played with instrumentalists, vocalists and dancers from around the world. He has also collaborated with the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts on several occasions and performed in various music festivals in Australia.

Currently residing in Perth, Australia he is teaching tabla to many students at the Saraswati Mahavidhyalaya for the past 4 years and continues to perform around the world.

Shaouli Shahid is a North Indian classically trained vocalist who started her formal training at the age of 4 from two renowned Bangladeshi classical vocalists – Pandit Amresh Row Chaudhury (Kotali Gharana) and Ustad Robiul Hussain (from Kirana Gharana). They were both based in Rajshahi, a northern town in Bangladesh. Music runs in her family, and she started her musical journey with her aunt at first. Shaouli performed in numerous programmes back home in Bangladesh and while living in Australia since 2005, she has been a regular performer for community-based organisations in Perth. Besides, she has also been teaching music in the Bangladeshi and Indian communities for the past almost 12 years. Shaouli is comfortable performing Pure and Semi-classical, Folk, Bollywood, and Bangla Modern songs including Rabindrasangeet and other genres. Recently, she has started exploring Ghazals, Sufi songs, and Thumri as well.

Besides her passion for singing, Shaouli is a Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Aboriginal Studies, Curtin University. She completed her Doctorate in Indigenous Health in 2011, and since then has been learning and working in the space of Indigenous health and education. She is also very passionate about her area of work and continues to collaborate with people and organisatons interested in working in this space.